Control systems are becoming increasingly more computerized. As a result, many of today's controllers include processors for processing control system data. However, processing power is only useful if adequate memory is available to support the processor when performing tasks.
Unfortunately, economic considerations often dictate the amount of memory installed in a controller, and, as a result, insufficient memory problems may arise. Such insufficient memory problems often arise, for example, when an existing control system is upgraded or refurbished instead of replaced. Specifically, the process of upgrading the control system typically involves adding features by downloading additional software into the system's controllers. However, the memory required to operate the additional software often exceeds the capacity of the existing memory disposed in the controller. Unfortunately, modifying memory or any other hardware associated with an existing controller may be too costly to implement. This problem is further exacerbated when, for example, the control system is a building control system that has been integrated into the design of the building in which the system is installed. In these cases, a control system upgrade may require modifying the building design, a result that is both costly and typically undesired.
In addition, the control system design process often involves designing the hardware and software separately. However, the hardware for a controller is often completed before the software required to operate the controller. As a result, the amount of memory required for the design is usually estimated in advance. However, the amount of memory required to support the final version of the software often exceeds the memory estimations due to the number of advanced features being supplied by today's controllers. Moreover, designing the hardware at the same time as the software will not necessarily eliminate the problem because, even after system installation, the software associated with a controller often continues to evolve to meet customer demands for additional features. As a result, control system designers are frequently forced to eliminate features or otherwise reduce the memory requirements of the software that supplies the features.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a device that overcomes one or more of the foregoing problems.